


it was mine before it was yours

by withaflashoflove



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-03
Updated: 2016-12-05
Packaged: 2018-09-06 20:18:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8767780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/withaflashoflove/pseuds/withaflashoflove
Summary: Loosely based on the prompt "constantly fighting for the best seat in the library/coffee shop/whatever," but it'll extend beyond this scope to include Barry and Iris meeting at a coffee shop and striking up a friendship that may turn into something more...





	1. Chapter 1

There were three things guaranteed about Ace Reporter Iris West.

First, her relationship with her career was the only constant in her life. Her pen? Her savior. The scratch of its tip against the surface of any notepad rang like a beat in her ears. She was as quick with a note as she was with a word; no one could stop her from jotting down an observation, a quote, a comment. Hell, she could do it just fine, even without her tape recorder for backup. That was her, the brown-eyed, brown-haired beauty, turning heads whenever she showed up on the scene, with a pen in her hand to complement the notepad in her other, with glasses made of transparency and eyes trained to memorize. She was good at it. Damn good at it.

Second, her wit could give anyone a run for their money. The words that came out of her mouth paralleled those from her fingers. She would only offer commentary when the moment called. And a mocking comment came her way, she’d give it right back, throw you under her heels and give a little extra _stomp_ for added measure. Her editor once told her she needed to smile a little more, to not snap so quickly, to take her time when getting the story. Her response was a mantra she repeated to herself everyday: _I don’t waste anyone’s time; they shouldn’t waste mine._ And she stuck to her word, always got the story ahead of schedule, always made the front page, always did exactly what she said she would.

Third, her routine kept her days familiar and easy. She didn’t like change. If things were going well, there was no point in mixing them up. Like the fact that she went to the same coffee shop every day after spending a little time at CCPN to work on her story. It was the same order. One incredibly heavy cronut to go with one Americano with an extra shot. It was the same seat, the one next to the window, the one that gave her direct access to the hustle of the city. She could turn her head and see the rush of the cars, of the people walking in and out of too many shops. She recognized those license plates the same way she recognized those faces, the same way she could list what any given person on the street would be doing next.

And Iris was good with it.

What she wasn’t good with was a breach in her routine by a new face, one she didn’t recognize from anywhere before.

_He was in her seat._

She noticed him as soon as she walked in, decided to place her order to give herself a little moretime to figure out what she’d do about it, how she’d handle this change of pace.

He looked like an outsider, the smile that lit up his face a little too big to match the others around it. She couldn’t help but admire his glasses, their round frames a contrast to her square, narrower ones. He had baby green eyes that hid behind the lenses, to match the red lips that composed his smile. He looked _soft_. And pretty inviting. So Iris chose the direct route, deciding that he looked harmless enough.

With the coffee smell in her nose and her bag in her hand, she walked up to him, lightly tapping his shoulder.

“Hi,” she flashed him a smile.

And she couldn’t quite figure out if he always welcomed strangers with a smile as big as the one he reciprocated to her.

“Hi!” he replied, taking off the earphones and turning to her.

“Sorry to be a bother,” she started, “I was just wondering if you were gonna be here long?”

“Uhh,” he quickly glanced down at his watch, “probably another few hours?”

 _Damn_.

“Okay.”

“Why what’s up?”

“Nothing nothing,” Iris said, already looking around the coffee shop at the other tables. There were a few that had nobody at them and she could easily make her way over to any given one of them, but she wasn’t happy with the change.

“You sure?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she turned around to face him again, “I just usually always sit at this table.”

“Oh!” he just about jumped, and Iris couldn’t help but crack a grin at the way his coffee cup almost spilled over. “Would you like to sit here with me?”

Iris cocked her head. The table was big enough to fit the both of them, sure, but her notes usually spanned its entirety and he looked like he needed the space, given the pile of books he had next to him.

“It’s okay, don’t worry. You look like you need the space.”

“No I insist! It’s nice to have company.”

And Iris didn’t know if it was his smile or the fact that she loved this seat that got her to agree, but she did. Gave him a smile and sat down on the opposite side of him.

“Thanks.”

“Sure thing,” he grinned. “I’m Barry, by the way.”

“Barry,” Iris nodded, “you look like a Barry.”

“Do I?”

“You do. It’s the glasses,” she laughed.

“Yeahhh,” he said, bringing his hand to readjust their position, “they’re about as nerdy as my name.”

“They suit you,” she reassured him.

“Thanks…”

Iris went to open her bag, in the same moment that the barista brought over her order and set it next to her.

She figured pulling out her laptop and one notepad would be enough, as the table was crowded enough already.

When she looked back up, she saw Barry still staring at her.

“Hmm?” she met his eyes.

“It’s just…you haven’t told me your name yet.”

“Ahh. I’m Iris.”

He smiled. “Pretty name. Named after the flower or the eye?”

“Not sure, but I’d like to believe it was the goddess.”

“Goddess of the rainbow,” he affirmed, “I like it.”

“Me too.”

And she found his conversation easy, almost as easy as it was to look at him, but if she didn’t focus, she’d be way behind of schedule.

She got word of the new research lab that was opening up in the downtown of Central City. Word on the street was that it would feature some of the newest technologies to investigate _something_ , and that _something_ was precisely what she was interested in.

But then Iris eyed the biochemistry books sitting at his side. So she gave it a shot.

“Studying for something?”

“Oh!” he looked over to where she was looking, “yeah! Big interview coming up.”

“For what?”

“You heard about the new research lab opening up?” he asked.

_Just her luck._

“STAR Labs?”

“Yeah that’s the one! They want to hire someone with a background in biochemistry who’s had enough experience with crime investigations. And lucky for them, I happen to be a CSI with a few degrees in the chemistries,” he smirked.

“CSI huh?” Iris questioned. “But you don’t work for CCPD.”

Her dad was a cop. And she was pretty sure she knew every person who ever stepped foot in that

precinct.

“No no,” he shook his head, “I was in Coast City for a while. But then I heard about this opportunity, so I decided to spend a few weeks here. If it works out, I wanna make the move

over.”

“Family here?”

“Not really family. But my roommate from college lives here. Cisco Ramon. Know him?”

Iris smiled at that. “I do know him. Best engineer in town. Well besides my brother.”

Barry seemed like he was connecting a few dots after she said that. She waited till he looked up at her again.

“Your brother’s Wally West, isn’t he?”

“He is,” Iris confirmed, “they work together.”

“Small world.”

“Small world indeed,” she laughed.

The conversation died down after that, and Iris began typing away, her research prospects already beginning. She wasn’t sure why the city’s government was funding another lab, even though it was already in debt. And not like this was what the people needed right now, especially given the schools were long overdue for an upgrade, as well as a list of 10 other things she could think of.

But alas, it had already been built, and thanks to a little insight from Wally and Cisco, as well as some digging from Linda, and she had herself a new story brewing.

“Hey,” his voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

She stopped typing and looked up.

“..sorry don’t mean to distract you. It’s just, do you know any good places to go to? You know, to explore the city a little.”

Iris studied his face, already knowing where he was going with it.

“Lots. Cisco’s not showing you around?” she mused.

“No he is! He is!” he rubbed the nape of his neck, “it’s just, he’s a bit busy this week…so I’m kind of on my own.”

“Shame,” Iris pursed her lips.

“…so…” Barry continued, and she found his persistence more cute than distracting (though he was _definitely_ distracting), “…you wouldn’t be free would you?”

“Depends,” Iris replied, “when?”

“Whenever!”

“Barry,” she laughed, “I don’t mean to pry…it’s just, didn’t you say you had a big interview?”

“I can multitask,” he grinned, “study a little now…have a little fun later…?”

Iris ducked her head, a little smile drawing on her lips. Sure he was cute, and he seemed friendly enough. But dating wasn’t something on her radar right now.

So she offered, “when’s your interview?”

“Two days from now.”

“Okay tell you what,” Iris locked eyes with him, “how about we meet here for the next two days to do work together, and if you get the job, I’ll treat you to drinks.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” she said, satisfied with the proposal for now.

“Deal,” Barry smiled, the glisten in his eyes shining through his lenses.

And maybe a little breach in her routine wasn’t so bad afterall.


	2. Chapter 2

When Barry first went into the interview, he didn’t know quite what to expect. He’d reviewed all his biochemistry, pulling out his old undergrad school textbooks and notes for it. Iris even helped him out a little, quizzed him on the different classes of enzymes, told him to walk her through the steps of protein synthesis, even had him explain to her the importance of resonance in the nucleic acids.

For a journalist who insisted that she had minimal knowledge in the sciences, she sure caught on pretty quickly.

He liked her. 

Maybe it was a crush, he wasn’t sure. Maybe it was that she felt like someone familiar, someone really familiar in a city he knew nothing about, in a city he knew no one in, with the exception of Cisco. He liked that too. Liked that apparently Iris and Cisco were friends, liked that Cisco and Linda, Wally’s girlfriend, were also friends, liked that Iris could go on and on about Linda to him, about how nice it was to have a little family in the three of them.

It made Barry want to be apart of it. And the way to start the process was to get the job. Which he did.

So he practically ran to Jitters to meet his newfound study partner, seeking out the same table they’d been sitting at for the past two days. And of course, there she was, still focusing intently with her brown bambi eyes, still typing away at her laptop, not paying much attention to the people, to the noise, to the aromas that lit up the place, still looking as beautiful as ever, with a cup of coffee by her side, an empty plate where the cronut once was and a notepad on her lap.

Maybe it wasn’t _just_ a crush. Maybe it was a little more. 

Either way, he made his way inside and walked over to her table.

“You owe me drinks,” he said, standing right next to her chair, and when she looked up to meet his eyes, he noticed the huge smile plastered on her face and how she jumped out of her chair to give him a hug.

And Barry liked that too. Liked how warm she was. She wasn’t the most open person, he caught onto that part. But even with her reservations, she still felt so gentle, still felt like someone who would get _really_ excited by his joy, would wear her heart on her sleeve if and, when the moment called, would always welcome him with something soft whenever he saw her.

Like now, like this hug.

Like the way she held him tight and wrapped her arms around his neck, like the way she couldn’t contain her pride. 

“Told you!” she said, finally pulling away, “I told you I told you I told you!!” 

“You did,” Barry laughed, hands still on her hips. She didn’t seem to mind the public touching, and truthfully, neither was he.

He’d been hoping to feel her against him ever since he shook her hand.

“So you got it?!” “I did!”

“Barry, I’m so proud of you!” Iris jumped up, before giving him one last squeeze and pulling away. 

He walked over to his seat and pulled it out, feeling a little too excited already to order anything caffeinated or sweetened. Plus Iris’s presence was sweet enough.

“When do you start?” she asked, still looking at him like she couldn’t believe her eyes, and it made him feel just as good as getting the job did. 

“Monday,” he grinned, “which means you have the next four days to arrange drinks.”

She shook her head. “Why do I get the feeling you’re more excited about drinks than about booking a job at STAR Labs?”

The smile on his face didn’t let up. “Equal excitement, you know? Getting a new job…meeting a new…”

He met her eyes.

“…friend…for now, maybe…?”

Iris ducked her head, and he didn’t know if that was pushing it, but part of him didn’t want to take it slow.

Slow was overrated, it’s what he’d been doing all his life.

With previous girlfriends, it had always been a little too cautious, a little too timid. But Iris didn’t seem like the type of person who belabored the point too long. Instead, she made it pretty clear to him that she’d rather someone be straight to the point with her than letting things drag on. And he wasn’t in a place of wanting to wait too much. Because he liked her. And even though he didn’t want what was between them to slip away, he was willing to risk it on her.

“How about tomorrow night?” she asked, looking back up. “Not tonight?”

“I mean,” she paused before a smile drew on her lips, “tonight I was hoping you’d give me the rundown of what you saw at STAR Labs.”

He feigned offense. “Are you just excited I got the job because now you can use me as an inside source?”

“No!” she shouted, but he could tell it was part of the reason, if the glisten in her eyes and the curve of her lips was any indication. “that part’s cool too. But I’m excited for you because you deserve it.”

“Uh huh,” he rolled his eyes. 

“Barry,” Iris said, taking one of his hands in hers, “I’m serious. You deserve this.”

He looked down at their hands, relishing in the way her hand covered his, how it was so much smaller than his, how he flipped them so that they were intertwined now, and how she didn’t pull away.

That was nice. 

“You’re not wearing your glasses,” he changed the subject, still admiring her choice of gesture. “I’m not,” she confirmed.

“You always wear your glasses.” “You’ve seen me for three days Barry.”

He finally looked up. “But you don’t usually change things up?”

She didn’t say anything, so he continued, “It’s just…the first day you met me was because this was the table you always sat at and I was the naive guy who thought it was up for grabs.”

Her laughter at that statement eased him a little, and he gripped her hand a little tighter.

“And you always use the same pencil” - he signaled to the one currently sitting right next to her laptop, the red one with the lead sticking out and the eraser hiding in its case - “and you always order the same thing. _One_ _incredibly_ _heavy cronut_ to complement _one Americano_ …”

“…with an extra shot, yeah,” Iris finished his sentence. “Yeah,” he nodded.

“You remembered it?”

“I’ve been sitting with you for the past three days. Today marks the fourth. ‘s hard not to notice.”

He didn’t know why there was _that look_ on her face, a look that seemed mixed between being impressed with him and being a little taken back that he’d managed to notice all of that. But she was still gripping his hand, and he took that as a sign, as a good sign, that she wasn’t pulling away just yet, that maybe she was comfortable opening up to him a little more than she was with others, that maybe if he tried, he’d be able to whisk her off her feet. 

Maybe it was wishful thinking on his part. Still. He could hope for it to be true.

“Drinks,” Iris said, pulling him out of his thoughts, “tomorrow night. In the meantime, how about dinner tonight?”

“Before that, you have to tell me. Why no glasses?” he pushed. 

She sighed. “I have an interview in about 20 minutes. I don’t wear glasses to interviews.” “Why?”

“It’s just easier…more convenient that way.” He raised her eyebrows.

“Another story for another time,” she concluded, finally pulling her hand away from his, and he knew she didn’t do it to hurt him, but he still missed holding onto her nonetheless.

“Okay.”

“So tonight? You’ll brief me on STAR Labs?”

“I can do that.”

Iris packed up her laptop inside her purse, securing it in place before tucking the notepad behind it. “Who’s the interview with?” he asked, while she grabbed her pencil and put it behind her ear. “Did you happen to meet Dr. Caitlin Snow?”

Barry shook his head.

“Apparently she’s one of the physicians that’ll be working there, and I got an interview with her. It also helps that she’s heavily involved in a new healthcare proposition that the city’s trying to pass, so I might as well ask her about that as well.”

“Noted. Two birds with one stone.” “Exactly,” she grinned.

She stood up and he followed after, leaving his stuff behind to walk her out the door. “So,” she said as she held the door open for the both of them, “see you tonight?” “Meet at CCPN?” he asked.

“Yeah. I should be back there. And if not…” Iris reached for her cell phone and pulled it out, displaying it for him to take, “you should give me a call.”

He took it from her hand and punched in the number before hitting the call button so that her number was stored in his.

“There,” he handed it back to her, “done.” “I’m proud of you,” Iris repeated, “truly.”

“Right. I appreciate you helping me with it. It was nice to have someone who could tolerate that much science for that long.”

“It was fun…interesting too,” Iris shrugged her shoulders, which inadvertently caused one strand of her hair to fall loose from the rest of it.

He didn’t reach for it, though he wanted to. He wanted to kiss her, right here, right outside the coffee shop, but he couldn’t bring himself to do that yet either.

“I’m glad you liked it Iris.” “I’ll see you tonight, yeah?”

“See you tonight,” he confirmed and she gave him a quick wave, turned around and left him standing alone to watch after her, and Barry had a feeling this crush would only intensify from here.

Because she was _something_. And he was already mesmerized by all of her.


	3. Chapter 3

There were a few things she learned from dinner with Barry, most importantly about some logistics in STAR Labs. Like how Harrison Wells was the founder of the entire project, the same Harrison Wells who was theorized to be responsible for a strange explosion that happened on the outskirts of the city a few months back.

Iris called it the _Particle_ _Accelerator Explosion._ The name seemed to fit. There was a lot of debris that made its way to the city, but the city went into complete blackout for a day and by the time CCPD got involved, evidence of the explosion had been wiped out and Wells was nowhere to be found. 

Though, she should backtrack. He was never _proven_ to be the cause of it. It just made sense that he would be. He was one of the most powerful scientists in the entire country, with an impressive background in major physics’ discoveries that reshaped modern understanding of all sorts of theories. And given his extensive knowledge and influence in the field, as well as his sudden disappearance for weeks following the explosion, Iris couldn’t help but conclude he at least had  _something_ to do with it.

So when Barry confirmed it, part of her was relieved that her instinct was right, but another part of her was also infinitely more curious.

Especially after her interview with Dr. Snow, and how the majority of the research she worked on was DNA sequencing and genetic longevity, with a specific interest in telomerase. Iris had heard the name before, apparently an enzyme that was responsible for preserving DNA code during cell division, thanks to preparing Barry before his interview.

She asked him about it after the interview with Dr. Snow and he confirmed that the field was in a frenzy over it, saying that it was known for its role in cell division, but also in other metabolic processes that they weren’t so sure of yet.

The dots were connecting, but currently, she wasn’t too focused on it.

Because for the first time in a few weeks (the last time being when she went out with Linda), Iris was doing something that didn’t involve CCPN work, at least not directly. 

And she didn’t know whether this was a date. They were getting drinks, like she’d promised Barry they would if he got the job - which he did - but now she was torn between dressing in something casual or in something a little more loose…or maybe flirty….instead. She was quickly running out of time though, as she had exactly 20 more minutes to get ready before he came to pick her up.

So she settled on a dark red dress with black open-toed heels, to complement a bold shade of red lipstick and thick mascara which gave her eyes an extra pop.

She was going out. Might as well make the most of it.

Iris hurriedly finished applying another coat of mascara just in time for the doorbell to ring. Inevitably, that was Barry.

So she sped out to the living room, giving her dress one final tug and ruffling her hair just a bit, as well as spraying on a perfume that was her go to for any night out.

He met her with a smile, with _irises_ in one hand (cute, very unoriginal, but cute nonetheless), while the other was stuffed in the pocket of his dark jeans, which matched the purple button-down and blazer he had on, a contrast to the baby greens of his eyes that were playfully dancing behind his glasses.

“For you,” Barry extended an arm out and she couldn’t help the grin that lit up her face as well. Iris reached over to take them, but he didn’t let go to give her the chance to pull the bouquet away. “You look…” his voice brought her back to him, “…amazing Iris. Wow.”

“You clean up pretty nicely yourself,” she laughed lowering her hand a little to graze his and that seemed to do the trick, as he let go soon after. 

“Let me put these in a vase,” she said, gesturing for him to come inside.

She made her way over to the kitchen while he stayed behind in the living room. “Cool place,” he shouted loud enough for her to hear.

When she came back, she found him reading through a few old newspapers that were lying on her table, his eyes seemingly lost in the words on the page.

“…ready?” she hesitantly called out to him. 

He spun around to face her. “You wrote this?” His eyes were big on hers and it made her feel a little small. She wasn’t sure why.

“I did.”

“Your prose is amazing. And the content? I had no idea this many doctors in Central City had a formal diagnosis of depression.”

“Ironic right?” Iris raised her eyebrows, taking a few steps towards him, “how the healthcare system hurts those at the forefront of its lines.” 

“It’s seriously amazing research you put into this!” Barry hit the paper with his other hand, “I mean, how long did this take?”

She came to stand by his side. “That particular story took a few months. There were a lot of confidential stuff I wanted to make sure I honored. And coordinating meetings with doctors is quite the struggle.”

“Impressive.”

She furrowed her eyebrows. He must’ve noticed by the way he dropped the paper and turned to her. “What’s wrong?” he asked, the concern apparent in his voice.

“I just wish it made a difference.”

“Hey,” he said, gripping her arms, “it’s already made a difference.”

She looked at him with big eyes and Iris could see the _soft_ in him. “There’s a new proposition on the ballot, yeah,” she confirmed.

Barry and her had discussed a few of the campaigners who were pushing for the new measure in both Coast and Central City. She hasn’t mentioned this piece was the propellor for that though.

“And that’s because of you,” he smiled, probably remembering the same conversation.

She nodded, drawing a little closer to him, enjoying the fact that he still had his hands on her arms, rubbing them slowly, his skin touching hers, and he felt warm against her. A little too warm, which brought up that uneasy feeling again, the same one when he looked at her when she walked in from the kitchen.

“It makes a difference,” Barry continued, “really.” “I hope. If the prop passes.”

“It will!”

Iris cocked her head. “Don’t tell me being a CSI gives you psychic abilities?”

“Not quite,” he laughed, dropping his hands from her arms, and instead bringing one of his hands to the small of her back, “but I can predict the very near future, and that involves drinks at a club you promised is ‘dope’.” 

“It is dope!” she smacked his shoulder, not appreciating the sarcasm infused with that comment, “it’s the hottest spot in the city. Plus they have a great taste in music…and drinks.” 

And she liked the banter between them, how easily it came, how fun he was and how carefree he made her feel. 

Which may have been part of the reason she let him convince her of taking another tequila shot, insisting that he’d take it with her, and that led to them currently on the dance floor, with her hands on his chest and his hands on her hips and his breath heavy on her neck.

So Iris let it happen. She let his lips meet hers, let him tighten his grip around her waist, let his body move against hers, the same way his lips moved against hers, let herself revel in his smell, which was a mix of alcohol and mint, and she licked his lips open with her tongue, deepened the kiss between them, so much so that her head was spinning not only because of the shots, but also because of  _him_.

She pulled him out of the club and pushed him against the wall next to its back door, enjoying the feeling of his hands running along her sides, and how he was all tall, but he was bending down just enough and the heels gave her the exact amount of added inches to be in as comfortable of a position as was making out outside of the club in the middle of the night.

When he pulled away from her, Iris couldn’t help but chase his lips with hers, immediately missing the brush of his tongue against hers, but he gently pushed her back on her feet, giving them both time to catch their breath.

He looked at her with questioning eyes. She mirrored his look.

“Does this mean…” his voice trailed off, and Iris took the silence to align the lapels of his shirt, to smooth them out given she wrinkled them extensively with the force of her grip.

“It means,” she said meeting his eyes, “we go back to my place, maybe?” not masking the hopefulness in her voice. 

But Barry seemed more hesitant than her by the way he pulled away from her hold.

“And after that?”

“What do you mean?” she turned to look at him.

“I mean after that Iris,” he clarified, “what happens after tonight?”

She watched him fidget with his hands and she could tell he was nervous, which made her nervous; her hand came to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“You’re not saying anything,” Barry pushed. “I’m not sure what to say,” she countered. “What happens after tonight?”

“I don’t know…we hang out some more, maybe get to know each other I guess?” she answered back with a question, hoping that’d lead him to give her a sign of what he wanted to hear.

She was usually good at reading people, her intuition always a few steps ahead of another’s words, but she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what caused the change in his demeanor, why they were _talking_ outside the club in the freezing weather instead of _making out_ in the back seat of a car on their way to the warmth of her bed.

Still, she waited for him to answer. “I just…I like you.”

She nodded her head.

“A lot,” he continued, “…and I want this to be something more than just a friendship…” “…I…”

“Iris,” he walked back over to her, “I know I’m coming on a little strong” - and he _definitely_ was because that feeling was back in the pit of her stomach and she was sure it wasn’t just the alcohol that was making her head hurt right now - “I just don’t want to mess things up between us.”

_There is no us_ , she thought, _not yet at least_. But she didn’t want to say that, couldn’t bear to see the hurt on his face if the words left her lips. 

So instead, she said, “I’m not looking for anything serious right now, Barry.” 

Because she wasn’t. Not with her career kicking off, not with the new revelations with STAR Labs, not when her life had just quieted back down after the storm that was her last boyfriend, not when things were good again between her and her dad, and she wanted to keep life peaceful for a while, didn’t want a pretty boy with pretty glasses and green eyes to turn her world upside down.

“Why?” he pried.

She shook her head, taking two steps away from him, “I’m just not. Not right now.”

“Why?” he questioned again, the hurt in his eyes shining under the moonlight, and she wanted to kick herself for wearing this dress, that she wasn’t back at home, that she hadn’t stuck to routine, because routine meant no one getting hurt and he was hurting right now, and she was too. 

“I just…I want something casual right now,” she said, looking into his eyes, hoping he’d understand that it wasn’t him, it was just her, that this was outside her comfort zone, that the timing was a little off, that she didn’t want to ruin their _friendship_ , but she didn’t want to push it into anything else just yet.

The car ride home was awkward.

He insisted on it, said that they were both too drunk to remember to text each other when they got home safely, so he called a cab for the both of them and walked her to the front door.

She stayed quiet, her arms wrapping around her body as a protective guise and she wished the tension between them was of a different nature.

“I should go,” he said when they reached the door.

She gave him a sad smile. “Thank you for walking me here.” “Sure.”

The rustle of the wind sent chills down her arms, and all she wanted was to be inside, curled up under a blanket, away from his gaze.

“Will you text me when you’re home?” she asked. He nodded his head.

“I’ll see you tomorrow at Jitters?”

This time, his head didn’t move with confirmation. Instead, he leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek before making his way back over to the cab, and Iris watched him walk away, tears threatening to leave her eyes because this night turned into something it wasn’t supposed to be.

She missed him already.


	4. Chapter 4

It had been exactly a week since he’d seen her.

He texted her the night he got home, a quick _safe_ text to which she responded _I had a lot of fun tonight :)._

He didn’t reply.

He also didn’t reply to her text two days later which read _Been missing you at Jitters...you okay?_

And he wanted to simultaneously tear out his hair and step on his toes because he was mad at himself for pushing her away, but also mad at himself for falling so fast and so hard for her.

How could he not though?

How could he ever resist Iris West? It was impossible, a fallacy that would never be solved. It was harder than surviving in a world without oxygen or making water with no hydrogen. And it’s not like it’d been easy _not_ talking to her.

He hid his phone under an old neuroanatomy textbook for an entire day, refused to check it because neuroanatomy brought up repulsive memories from the most difficult class he’d ever taken in his life, and apparently that was what it took to avoid Iris.

It was as hard as avoiding the sun. He kept thinking about her, kept thinking about her lips on his, how she was so soft and felt so warm under his fingertips...and how he pushed too hard and she pulled away.

And then he pulled away from her because he couldn’t take the humiliation...and the longing. Because there was something so enchanting about her and then they had dinner and then they went out and then she kissed him and how could she not feel the same way? 

So far, his stay in Central City was simultaneously good and a little heartbreaking. And he was avoiding her. Which made him feel worse.

But today he had a meeting with Cisco at his shop _Ramon_ _Industries_ , and supposedly Wally was meant to be there too. So Barry figured he’d go and hang out with them, maybe even learn more about Cisco’s involvement with STAR Labs because he designed some gadgets for them. 

Ever since Iris gave him the heads up about the place, he’d been trying to investigate it undercover. The job was good. He had to analyze a lot of basic stuff that complemented his CSI training. But there was the addition of researching telomerase, which was interesting, because the focus wasn’t so much on genetics, but more so on metabolism. 

And Barry couldn’t figure out why there was such a heavy focus on it. Dr. Wells said “new discoveries,” which Dr. Snow reiterated.

Still.

Something threw him off about the place.

But nonetheless, today wasn’t the day to think of that. Today was a Saturday, his first real day off and he’d spend it with Cisco instead of doing work.

When he got there though, he heard the voice of someone oddly familiar. A voice he would be able to recognize miles away.

“Cisco, I need you to find me everything about Jesse Wells.” 

Barry crept inside the shop to where the voice was coming from, quickly discerning it was Iris’s. And she was wearing her glasses today, with her hair in a braid and her jacket hugging her body. She looked all professional and neat, and somehow he felt _very_ underdressed for her.

Still, he listened.

“Iris, I’m not a hacker,” was Cisco’s reply.

“I know that, but I know you can track her. At least let my brother do it when he gets in!” “Why this sudden curiosity about her?”

“Because,” Iris said, holding out a file, “I think she’s _different_.” “What do you mean, different…?’

“I think she has _powers_.” Cisco stared at her. “Iris -”

“Hear me out okay. She’s not….she’s just...it’s hard to explain. The more I dug into the background of Harrison Wells, the more I realized he was hiding something. And that got me thinking about the Particle Accelerator Explosion. 

He disappeared for weeks after it. So did his daughter. But when he came back, there was no mention of her. None. Even on the opening day of STAR Labs, she wasn’t there. And that was months after the fact. His wife was, but not Jesse.”

“Maybe she had somewhere else to be?” Cisco reasoned.

Barry saw Iris glare at Cisco. “I wouldn’t miss an awards ceremony for my dad, let alone the opening of his own research facility. There’s no way she wouldn’t have gone.”

And that’s when Barry remembered seeing a picture of a girl with Dr. Wells on one of the walls, who seemed to resemble him a lot. He figured that was Jesse.

But Wells hadn’t mentioned anything of her. Barry would’ve never guessed. Still, maybe that would help Iris.

“Sorry to interrupt…” he walked inside, immediately greeted by Iris’s eyes. “Barry!” Cisco grinned, running over to hug him.

The whole time through the hug, Barry was staring at her, and she was staring back, seemingly transfixed on him. Not like he wanted to look away either. Not until he had to.

“I think you’ve met Iris yeah?” Cisco said, pulling away and leaving an open space between Barry and her.

“Uh yeah...yeah I have,” he answered, but nonetheless, extended a hand out to greet her.

Really it was just an excuse to touch her again, because he missed her...missed the way she felt…

“Hi, Barry,” Iris replied, opting out of shaking his hand, instead waving hers. He let his hand drop.

“Iris, let me call Wally and Linda,” Cisco said, “might as well get the whole gang here and do something exciting!”

The moment Cisco walked away, there was an uncanny silence between them, and Barry didn’t know what he should do.

He wasn’t expecting to see her. He had nothing prepared, no apology, no speech, nothing. And she didn’t look too happy to see him, if her demeanor was any indication.

“I see you’ve got your phone,” Iris spoke first, signaling to his hand, and sure enough, his phone was in it. 

“Ye-yeah...I do,” he winced, looking down at it before stuffing it in his pocket. He looked up to her again. “Listen, Iris, I’m really -”

“You’re gonna apologize,” she interrupted, taking a step closer to him, forcing him to take a step back, “I want to know why.”

He looked down.

“I get not wanting to talk, I do. And I get not wanting to see me. But at least check in with me to tell me you’re okay.” 

“I should’ve.”

“Yeah, you should’ve,” she repeated, taking another step towards him, putting her pencil behind her ear like she did, adjusting the frame on her glasses in the process.

“I just...I didn’t know what to say.” “A simple hi would’ve sufficed.” He met her eyes. “It felt...awkward.” “It didn’t have to be.”

And she was looking at him with hints of what seemed to be sadness, and maybe she had changed her mind about this whole thing, maybe if he waited it out, she would’ve come around, maybe that’s what he should’ve done instead of avoiding her, but he didn’t think he could see her every day after what happened, didn’t think he was strong enough for it, so he did what he knew best. 

He ran.

And she was hurt because of it. So was he. 

“I...um…” his hand came to the nape of his neck, “I overheard you talking about Jesse,” Barry said, changing the subject. 

She seemed taken back by the move. “Ummm….yeah. It has to do with -”

“- with STAR Labs, yeah. I think I saw her picture in there.” “Really?”

“Yeah,” Barry confirmed, “it’s weird though. Wells didn’t mention her. But she seems important enough if he has her on the main wall.”

Iris scanned the room before focusing back on him, her ebony, big eyes that were so easy to get lost in piercing his own. “Think you can find out more about her? You know, ask about her maybe?”

“To Wells?” 

“Yeah,” she nodded her head, “see what he says?” “Okay.”

“Okay.”

And he didn’t know why he did, but he was so overwhelmed with talking to her again, with hearing her voice again and being next to her that he reached for her hand, the one without the notebook and held it tight.

She didn’t resist it much, not by the way she let him take it in his.

“I’m sorry for not texting. And I’m sorry for not coming back to Jitters. I got a little...stuck, I guess.”

Iris intertwined their fingers together and Barry could see the hints of a smile on her face. “I…” she stopped, looking down at their hands, before starting again, “...your question just threw me off.” 

Barry nodded his head.

“...and it’s not like nothing _couldn’t_ happen between us...I just...my life finally settled down and I...I guess I’m not looking for anything serious just yet” -

He couldn’t stop the sinking feeling.

\- “but just give me some time, maybe?” He immediately looked at her.

“I’d like to get to know you first. And then maybe we can label it, if it becomes anything else.”

And Barry appreciated that, the grin drawing wide on his face. He didn’t know how he managed to find her, but he knew he never wanted to let her go. 

“Okay,” he agreed.

Before either had the chance to do anything more, they heard a door open, followed by the voices of two distinct people, and Iris let go of his hand soon after, giving him a little nudge.

So he nudged her back and they both walked out together, and somehow he knew this would be okay. That maybe they would figure it out together.


	5. Chapter 5

“You’re in my seat!”

He flashed her his infamous smile and as much as she wanted to smile back, she had bigger things to attend to, like the fact that he was casually sitting in her seat, like it was no big deal, like he didn’t know that it was _her_ seat and they had an agreement.

“Move,” she added, coming to stand right next to him. “No hi?”

“Move first, hi second.”

They had a system, he knew that. For the past two weeks, ever since they made up at Cisco’s shop, things were back to being _easy_ again with him. Which meant that they’d have coffee together every morning at Jitters, before he had to go to work, and he’d come back to her every evening after work to walk her back home.

It was like their new routine. Except that routine meant that he sat on the seat facing the door, not the one with its back _to_ _the door_. That was _her_ seat, it had been her seat before she shared the table with him, and it was her seat now, the seat that gave her the perfect view of the city outside and had the best angle for the sunlight to shine through and illuminate her notebook.

But he was still in it, and she was seconds away from poking him in the ribs with her pencil. “Barry.”

“You look pretty today,” he grinned.

“You’re saying too much and not moving enough.”

“Take _that_ seat,” he countered, gesturing to the _other_ seat, but she didn’t want that seat, she wanted her seat.

She glared at him.

“Come on Iris,” he reached for her hands, “change it up a little.” 

But he didn’t mean that. If he meant that, he wouldn’t have ordered her her same order, he wouldn’t be in the same table they were always in, he wouldn’t be wearing his glasses that gave his baby green eyes an extra shine. 

“I got here before you today!” Barry continued, “and that’s different, so you should do something different too.” 

If he was feeling like that had been a convincing argument, he was wrong, and she wanted to wipe that grin off his face as much as she wanted to kiss it off.

She’d been wanting to do that a lot lately. Kiss him. Almost every day this past week, ever since they’d got into the habit of doing things _together_ , of being around each other every day, of texting every day, with him sending her quirky things that happened to him at the lab and her sending back the most ridiculous article headlines she’d heard, and it worked.

They just clicked together. And it was all _easy_. “Barry, I swear -”

“- I know,” he said, now pulling her down onto his lap, which got a little _yelp_ out of her, but she didn’t want to move, even though they were in public; she liked being this close to him, sitting on his lap.

His hands came to her waist to hold her steady. She wasn’t sure what he was doing, so she chose to set her hands on his shoulders, which seemed safe enough.

“You owe me a thank you.”

Iris twirled the pencil in her hand. “Why?” 

“Because you remember how I talked to Dr. Wells for you?”

“I do,” she replied, remembering how a week back, Barry had told her on their evening walk home that a large part of the research they were doing at STAR Labs was dedicated to Jesse. And before Barry had the chance to ask more, Jesse herself walked into the corridor.

Barry told Iris that Jesse seemed a little…different, for lack of a better word. That something about her threw him off, like the way her body seemed to vibrate, almost uncontrollably and the way he’d feel this heat radiating from her. 

What tipped him off most was how much she ate. Barry had apparently watched her eat an entire large pizza, with a burger to complement it. And she didn’t have the body for that, she was too petite to fit that many calories into her stomach, so that also tipped Iris off. 

And given Iris had seen streaks of what looked like _lightning_ throughout the city, sometimes early in the morning, sometimes late at night through her window - always after police sirens went off - and given that people online were reporting sightings of a blur with ungodly speed running about, and given that her dad told her CCPD was getting some additional help with crimes from an unknown, anonymous person, it made sense that Jesse _did_ have powers.

“Well I got you an interview with him,” he concluded, still grinning at her, his hands gently gripping her waist.

Iris stared at him in disbelief. “You didn’t.”

“I did.”

Her eyes went wide. “…how?” 

He shrugged his shoulders. “Just told him that the one and only Iris West of CCPN wanted to do a write up on STAR Labs. And he seemed pretty willing.”

Iris had a feeling that wasn’t because Wells was the most _giving_ person, but rather that he was onto her prying. Surely he’d figured out that she’d been doing all the research she could about him, and surely he’d noticed the cyber trail her and Cisco were leaving behind.

 Still an interview was an interview.

Barry must’ve noticed how quiet she’d gotten because he continued, “…so you should let me keep the seat today. Cuz you owe me.”

She did. She owed him. So she kissed him.

Right there, right in Jitters, with the baristas nearby and bystander’s gazes inevitably on them. 

She kissed him. Because she’d been wanting to, ever since she first kissed him at the club, wanted to feel his soft lips back on hers, wanted to feel his hands on her waist, gentle and warm, wanted to feel the press of his body against hers.

Because he was sweet, sweet like honey and lemonade on a warm sunny day. That’s how he made her feel too, so cozy and comfortable, and there was this familiar softness with him that had her wrapped up entirely, like cuddling up on a cold winter day under layers of blankets and with a cup of hot chocolate, like the lazy feeling of a Sunday morning. 

If he was taken back by it, he didn’t show it much, because she felt the pressure coming from his lips as well, so she parted hers a little more and trapped his bottom lip between her own, sucking on it for good measure.

Something dropped in the background, which caused Iris to pull away. 

His eyes were still closed when she did, and she could see how his eyelashes were pressing up against the lenses of his glasses, how he seemed to still underneath her, both his breathing and his hands completely static, how he looked so calm and so… _happy_. 

“You should do that again,” he whispered, his eyes fluttering open, smiling at her. She smiled. “You should get out of my seat.”

He pouted.

And Iris couldn’t help it. He was too cute for his own good. So she bent forward to kiss him again.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, warning signs were going off. Like the fact that they were in her favorite coffee shop, where everyone knew her, and she was making out with a boy in broad daylight. Like how this was seriously ruining her reputation of _not_ dating pretty boys who asked her out over coffee, because she was pretty sure she’d turned down at least 20 guys who tried it, here, in this very spot. Yet here she was, kissing Barry, enjoying it too, for everyone to see.

He pulled away first this time. 

“We can both just sit here,” he said, a little breathless which got a smirk from her. She liked that she had that effect on him.

“When do you have to go to work?” she asked, running her fingers through his hair. “Five minutes ago, probably.”

“Barry, you can’t always be late!” “Okay, this time, you’re to blame.”

She got off him quickly and pulled him out of the chair with her. “Go to work.” He frowned.

“Barry,” she continued, “you need to go.” “But -”

“We can talk when you come back,” she promised, and that seemed to convince him, because he let out a loud sigh and took one step away from her.

“I’ll be back soon.” 

“Okay,” she smiled, sitting down in the seat that he was just in, her mind still racing because _that_ finally happened.

* * *

 

They managed to hold hands the entire walk to her home. At one point, she remembered him reaching for her hand, and she let him take it, intertwined her fingers with his like she did at Cisco’s, pressed her arm against his because she liked how he felt next to her.

She liked a lot of things about him.

And the conversation was a lot of mundane stuff, things that he already texted her throughout the day, like the accidental spill in STAR Labs of hydrochloric acid and how it ruined his favorite shoes, and how Dr. Snow made him immediately jump in the emergency shower and strip, because _safety_ _first_ _Barry!_

Iris asked him why he had been so distracted when he picked her up from Jitters. He didn’t answer. Instead he just leaned down to kiss her.

Three kisses in one day. But truthfully, she could never get tired of his lips. 

So here they were now, outside her door and she wanted to invite him back in, but she was worried this spot was jinxed. 

The last time they were here, it went all wrong. With him looking at her with sad eyes and her feeling her heart drop.

But this time around, it seemed different. And the way he was looking at her with his puppy dog eyes made her forget to breathe. It didn’t help that he was so close to her, that his body was flushed against hers, that he was smiling so bright that he could pass off for a star in the night sky. 

“You should do the interview tomorrow.”

“When?” she asked, still gripping his arms with her hands, reveling in his warmth. “Just come with me after Jitters. Wells will be in.”

It seemed like he unintentionally gave her the perfect set up. So she took it. “Guess you should come with me inside then…you know, it’ll be easier that way.”

Iris swore she’d never seen happiness radiate off someone like it did with Barry the moment those words left her lips.

And before she knew it, she was pushing him off her again, playfully, teasingly, because she had to find her keys, otherwise neither of them would make it inside.


	6. Chapter 6

Barry really liked watching her sleep.

There was something so comforting about the peacefulness on her face, about how relaxed she seemed under the covers, which were half on her and half bundled up to her side. He liked the feeling of her pressed against his side and how he could run the pad of his fingers along the skin of her back, all the way down to the back of her thighs before bringing them up to graze her cheeks. He liked how that always got some reaction from her, whether she cuddled up a little closer to him or she let out a soft moan, even in her sleep. 

Mostly, he liked the goosebumps that appeared on her skin and how he was responsible for them. Because, it was nice, and a little satisfying, that _he_ could do that to her, that he had at least a similar effect on her to the effect she had on him. 

It’d been a month of falling asleep with her and waking up with her, every night and every morning. It became their routine, something they could do _together_ , like the way they’d always go to Jitters and get coffee together and the way he’d always come pick her up from Jitters after work, and they’d walk home together, hand in hand, because he always liked touching her and she seemed to feel the same, by the way she initiated it, by the way she pressed up against him the minute she saw him. 

The first night they slept together, Barry had a hard time imagining himself anywhere but wrapped up in her arms, in her bed, relishing in the solace of her. 

He’d never felt something so magical before, and in all their shyness and passion, something felt so very real between them, like they were meant to be. 

It was like she’d been the missing part of him. 

And the next day, after minutes of lingering kisses and excuses to delay leaving bed, she did her interview with Wells. After that, Iris had just about put all the pieces together that Jesse was a speedster, a “metahuman” of some sort. Cisco gave her the name of Jesse Quick, because she was just that, very _quick_. They had ample evidence, especially since Wally and Linda once saved Jesse’s life, accidentally, unintentionally.

They were walking through an empty street on the way to CCPN when they found someone in a leather suit lying in a dumpster, and they saw the wound in her chest and rushed her back to Cisco’s shop, where Barry, Iris and Cisco were. 

They took care of her, waited till she regained consciousness, and she revealed herself to them (well, they had to remove her cowl, so she had no choice really. But they did save her life, so it was justified). 

Given this, and given Iris’s interview with Wells, Iris had every lead she needed, could corroborate her conclusions with ample evidence.

And she published the article, leaving the speedster’s name and identity hidden, thanks to Wells insistence and Iris’s consideration. 

After that, STAR Labs made her their honorary reporter. They would only do interviews with her. They gave her full access to all discoveries and research they did, as long as she cooperated with them.

That meant her and Barry practically worked together. It also meant Iris could visit him whenever she wanted at STAR Labs, which she did.

Almost every week, she did, usually bringing him coffee and lunch. And the weeks she couldn’t, he’d go visit her at CCPN to do the same for her, because that was their system, because it worked with them, and it was all so _special_. 

And now, in this moment, he could tell she was waking up by the way she was scrunching her nose and stirring next to him. So Barry leaned forward to kiss her cheek, before trailing his lips to her jaw and then meeting her lips, gently, softly, parting his just enough to capture her top lip between them.

Soon enough, she was reciprocating it, by the way she returned the pressure on his, by the way she nuzzled into him, reaching for his hand and intertwining their fingers together.

He noticed Iris liked doing that a lot.

So he shifted his body and hers in the process, he turned her on her back, covering her with his own body as he deepened their kiss, licking her lips open, teasing her with his tongue, which got a laugh out of her.

He liked seeing her lazy.

And he liked the way the sun struck her in just the right places, how she was so radiant under its light.

“Morning,” she hummed between kisses, which caused Barry to press his body into hers a little more, enjoying the feeling of her bare skin against his, enjoying the way her hands were brushing along his back and then playing with his hair, and the way her smile was getting a little wider with every kiss.

“Hi,” he said, finally tearing himself away from her lips to meet her eyes, which were still struggling to flutter open, which looked somehow bigger without her glasses.

Iris brought her finger to his jaw. “You’re pretty,” she smiled. “Pretty?”

“Mhm…” she leaned up to steal a kiss, “very pretty.”

And Barry felt his whole body melt into hers, because sometimes she said things like that, things that he wasn’t expecting to hear, but they’d just slip from her lips and then she’d say them again and he didn’t know why, but it took his breath away.

“You’re pretty,” he reciprocated, still staring at her like she was magic. “We’re pretty people,” Iris agreed, “I guess we’re meant to be.”

She looked up at him with smiling eyes and the only thing he knew how to do was bring his hand to tuck the stray strand of hair behind her ear, because he wanted to see all of her, the beauty of her face mirroring his.

“Yeah?” he asked.

She nodded her head. “You should kiss me again,” she said in a voice so soft, already leaning up to meet him halfway and Barry had no choice but to comply.

If they kept doing this, neither of them would manage to get out of bed, and they had a brunch date with Cisco, Wally, Linda and Jesse in about an hour, and both of them needed to go shower and get ready, but staying in bed seemed like the  _easier_ option right now. 

He didn’t want to remind her. He was already making a list of excuses they could give as to why they missed brunch, why they didn’t check their phones and honor their promise, but then she pushed him away, laughing, opening her eyes again to meet his. 

“We should go.” He pouted.

“No.”

“We need to go, Bear. We promised.”

She stirred underneath him, but he didn’t budge. “Five more minutes,” he tried again, because maybe he could convince her. It worked sometimes, which made them late and she blamed him for it, for this new habit of running _behind_ schedule, but Barry didn’t think she minded too much.

“Five more minutes will turn into 10 and then 20 and then -”

And he stopped her with a kiss, because he could do that, kiss her whenever he wanted, especially when she was trying to be rational and practical, and all he wanted to do was be with _her_.

“Barry!” Iris laughed, moving her head to the side, which caused his lips to land on her cheek.

He wasn’t too deterred by the move, now kissing her cheek and coming down to her jaw line, before nibbling on her neck.

“No no,” Iris warned, this time tickling him, and he hated how she knew he was so ticklish. It really wasn’t fair that she wasn’t.

“Iris…” Barry whined, reaching for her hand as she left the bed. “We’re gonna be late.”

“Yes, but they’ll understand,” Barry countered, still gripping her hand, keeping her next to the bed.

And that made this whole thing worse because she was standing naked in front of him, and now he really didn’t care about brunch or people or anything that wasn’t just _her._

“We should go,” she smiled, bringing her other hand to grip his and pulling him out of bed.

“When we come back, we’re not leaving bed,” he said with resignation, wrapping her up in his embrace. 

“Okay,” she confirmed, her words muffled, “but we have to leave first.”

“Fine,” he said with a pout, but it earned him another kiss, which led to him smiling instead, and then she was pulling him towards the shower, saying _it’s_ _more convenient this way_ , and maybe getting out of bed wouldn’t be so bad.


End file.
